PrideProgress@HSNR
Diversity at The Hochschule Niederrhein

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PrideProgress@HSNR

With "PrideProgress@HSNR", the university creates space for all employees and students who feel part of the LGBTQIA+ community.

The "PrideProgress@HSNR" network connects employees and students across the university. It offers a platform and safe space for sharing experiences and mutual support. The initiative represents the LGBTQIA+ community inside and outside the university and sees itself as a mouthpiece for queer issues. The name "PrideProgress" also stands for the representation of the queer BIPOC community.

Through these actions, PrideProgress@HSNR makes an important contribution to strengthening diversity, promoting visibility and creating a non-discriminatory university culture.

HSNR Stand der Gleichstellung, des Pride Progress Netzwerks und AStA beim CSD

In recent years, the network has drawn attention to itself through a variety of activities: PrideProgress organises regular network meetings where queer university members and allies can get to know each other, exchange ideas and network. PrideProgress also takes part in information stands at the Christopher Street Days (CSD) in Mönchengladbach and Krefeld.

In 2025, PrideProgress organised a T-shirt design competition, the winning design of which adorns the university's official Pride shirts. These are worn at CSD parades, among other things, to express the visibility of the community and stand up for greater acceptance and diversity.

With events in various formats, we offer employees and students the opportunity to engage with topics relating to diversity, equality and inclusion and to learn from each other.

Everyone is welcome to take part and actively contribute to an open university culture.

Picknick in Krefeld-Süd | Queer Depatment of the AStA
Date: 2026-06-03 / 02:00 o'clock (pm)
Location: Meadow in front of the H-building, Krefeld South Campus
For everyone: CSD Mönchengladbach
Date: 2026-07-18 / All day
Location: Mönchengladbach
For everyone: Crefelder CSD
Date: 2026-08-15 / All day
Location: Krefeld
We are there!
CSD Mönchengladbach and Krefeld

Christopher Street Day is a day of celebration and demonstration for the LGBTQIA+ community, during which people march for social acceptance and self-acceptance. It is celebrated annually in June, July, and August with various events in cities around the world. Central to this are the “Pride Parades,” where participants celebrate diversity with colorful floats, costumes, and upbeat music.
 Queer Oral Presentation of the AStA and the Office of Equal Opportunity, we attended the CSD in Mönchengladbach and Krefeld this year and set up a stand.

 

Standing Together: CSD 2026

We’re taking to the streets again—for diversity, visibility, and solidarity!

Together with the PrideProgress Network of the Office of Equal Opportunity, our university is participating in the CSDs in Mönchengladbach and Krefeld again this year.

 

The dates at a glance:

  • CSD MG: July 18, 2026
  • CSD KR: August 15, 2026

 

Would you like to join us in making a statement?

Then let’s be loud, colorful, and visible together!

Whether at the parade or helping out at our booth—everyone is welcome.

 

Feel free to email us at prideprogress(at)hs-niederrhein.de if you’d like to help with the organization. Otherwise, just stop by! 

 

Explanation of the Progress Pride flag

The updated Progress Pride Flag includes the LGBT+ Pride Flag, also known as the rainbow flag, as well as a wedge with the colours of the trans pride flag and the inter* pride flag.

Rainbow flag: The red in the flag stands for life, orange for healing, yellow for the sun, green for nature, blue for harmony and purple for spirituality.

Trans pride flag: The blue stands for masculinity, pink for femininity and white for non-binary, inter*, trans*.

Stripes in brown and black: trans* people and people of colour, and black for people living with AIDS and those who have died from it.

inter* Pride flag: yellow and purple as non-gender-specific colours, the circular shape symbolises the wholeness of inter* people.

The wedge shape symbolises the social progress that still needs to be made from the community's perspective.

Updated Progress Pride flag

Counselling for employees and students

Are you looking for support, do you have problems or unanswered questions?
Our Equal Opportunities Officer Dr SandraLaumen and Anti-Discrimination Officer Julide Yalçın offer confidential counselling for employees and students.

Dr. Sandra Laumen, Dipl.-Wirt.-Ing.
Equal Opportunity Officer
Julide Yalçın, M.A.
Anti-Discrimination Officer
Further Counselling Services

Telephone counselling
"In a crisis or a difficult life situation, we listen to you. We clarify the situation with you, encourage you and help you cope with whatever seems difficult, sad, discouraging or unbearable in your life at the moment."
 

Guide to the Self-Determination Act from the Bundesverband Trans
The brochure "Leitfaden Selbstbestimmungsgesetz - Informationen zur Änderung von Geschlechtseintrag und Vornamen nach dem SBGG" answers practical questions about the new law.
 

Aidshilfe MG
"We are more than just an aid organisation - we are a place of encounter and support. At AIDS-HILFE MG/RY, you will find a safe space, advice, help and a sympathetic ear for your concerns about sexual health and identity."
 

AIDS service organisation Krefeld
"Our main tasks include the psychosocial support and care of HIV-positive people and people suffering from AIDS as well as prevention work to prevent new HIV infections." Here you can find information, events and counselling on all aspects of health
 

Lebenslust advice centre
"Psychosocial counselling, education and contact options for lesbians, gays, bisexuals, trans*, inter* and non-binary people in the Ruhr area and the Lower Rhine region as well as in Mülheim an der Ruhr and Gelsenkirchen for people with questions about HIV and STIs: confidential - competent - free of charge."
 

Smart NRW
Schlau Mönchengladbach
"We are an educational and anti-discrimination project on gender identities and sexual orientations. In workshops with school classes, teenagers and young adults, volunteer teams offer the opportunity to work with young lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people,

AStA of The Hochschule Niederrhein

The AStA also offers individual counselling and various events to network the community.

You can find current events here.

Learn more »
events

1001 Plateau
"1001plateau e.V. is a non-profit organisation that campaigns for the acceptance and visualisation of gender, romantic and sexual diversity in our society." Here you can find the latest youth work events.

D'Haus
"The drag show with Effi Biest & guests"

Together
"You can meet young lesbians, gays, bisexuals, pansexuals, trans*, inter* and non-binary* (LGBTIN*) people between the ages of 14 and 26 at together! Here you will quickly find new friends"

Duesseldorf Queer
Information on events and exhibitions in the Düsseldorf area

Queer Youth NRW
"Queere Jugend NRW is a network in which young committed people up to the age of 30 from queer youth work network and work together." Events, workshops, network meetings

Why is inclusive language so important?

Even today, many people are still discriminated against on the basis of their gender identity, sexual orientation, origin, disability, religion, mental health or socio-economic status. Using an inclusive language can convey a sense of security and belonging. This is particularly important for the well-being of many people in the workplace or in public.

Linguistic change is part of social change and is very important right now. When terms are used as insults for certain groups of people, this contributes to discrimination and can be very hurtful for those affected.

LGBTQIA+

LGBTQIA+ is a term adopted from English for different gender identities and sexual orientations that is used as a term for the community.
L for lesbian, G for gay, B for bisexual, T for trans, Q for queer, I for intersex, A for asexual and aromantic, + for all other gender identities and sexual orientations that are not covered by the acronym.

FLINTA

FLINTA is an acronym for women, lesbians, intersex, non-binary, trans and agender people. It is not just about women, but also about all people who are patriarchally discriminated against because of their gender identity.

BIPoC

The abbreviation BIPoC refers to Black, Indigenous and People of Colour. The term is explicitly intended to make black and indigenous identities visible in order to counteract anti-black racism and the invisibility of indigenous communities.

Pronouns

In the German language, there are still no established third-person pronouns for non-binary people. As an alternative, some would like the first name to be used instead of the pronoun. Others use "sie*er" for themselves, for example, or "xier" when taken together. From English comes the so-called neopronome "they", often Germanised as "dey", or the Swedish "hen". The important thing is to simply ask the person how you should address them so that there are no misunderstandings.

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